The papers of Robert Crosson, Hollywood actor and contemporary Los Angeles poet, contain manuscript and typescript drafts for Crosson's published collected works, especially GEOGRAPHIES (1981), ABANDONED LATITUDES: NEW WRITINGS BY 3 LOS ANGELES POETS (1983), CALLIOPE (1988), and THE BLUE SOPRANO (1994); individual poems published in small literary magazines; and unpublished poetry and prose, including his novel "Round-Trip to Midland." Of particular interest are Crosson's daybooks which record his daily activities, thoughts and writings for over four decades. Also included are video and audio recordings, photographs of Crosson, and collages. The papers are arranged in eight series: 1) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS BY CROSSON, 4) DAYBOOKS, 5) ARTWORKS BY CROSSON, 6) CASSETTE RECORDINGS, 7) REEL-TO-REEL AUDIO RECORDINGS, and 8) ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES.
Robert Crosson Papers, 1945 - 2001 (MSS 587)
Extent: 21.2 Linear feet (45 archives boxes, 1 card file box and 3 oversize folders)
Born in 1929, in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Crosson moved with his family to Pomona, California, in 1944. He graduated from Pomona High School in 1948, attended Mt. San Antonio College and graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in English and theatre arts in 1951.
Between 1952 and 1960, Crosson pursued an acting career and appeared in numerous television programs, including "Captain Midnight," "Dragnet," "Superman," "Studio 57," and the "Millionaire," as well as the Paramount pictures, WHITE CHRISTMAS and LAST DAY OF MY LIFE.
At the end of the 1950s, Crosson moved to Europe to write, but returned after two years making little progress. He entered the masters program in library science at UCLA, but soon gave up to work on his novel, "Midland." Crosson worked as a dishwasher, restaurant manager and eventually supported himself and his writing as a house painter and carpenter until 1996 when his health began to decline.
Crosson's first published book, GEOGRAPHIES (1981), was followed by ABANDONED LATITUDES: THREE LOS ANGELES WRITERS (1983), CALLIOPE (1988), THE BLUE SOPRANO (1994), and a chapbook entitled IN THE ETHERS OF THE AMAZON, POEMS 1984-1997. His work entitled "Round-Trip to Midland" remains unpublished. Crosson's daybooks document his daily activities of writing, house painting and carpentry. His collage making began after his first stay in a convalescent hospital in 1998.
Crosson died on December 10, 2001.
The Robert Crosson Papers document the literary career of a Los Angeles poet and writer. Materials include typescript drafts for published collected poetry and individually published poems, as well as unpublished poetry, plays and prose. Included are his daybooks (1980-2000) in which he recorded his writing and descriptions of daily activities. The collection contains collages, drawings and slides of Crosson's watercolors; audiorecordings of Crosson's poetry readings; correspondence; and miscellaneous materials, especially photographs of Crosson and a scrapbook documenting his acting career.
The Robert Crosson Papers are arranged in eight series: 1) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS BY CROSSON, 4) DAYBOOKS, 5) ARTWORK BY CROSSON, 6) CASSETTE RECORDINGS, 7) REEL-TO-REEL RECORDINGS, and 8) ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES.
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